Cigar-bunching machine.



un 693,265. Patented Feb. n', |902.

A. GORDON. y,mmm Buncnma MACHINE."

(Application led Apr. B, 1901.)

mi cams vETEns co, PNUTaLTHU.. WASHINGTGN. D. c.

on line to x, Fig. 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER GORDON, OF DETROIT,MICIIGAN.

CIGAR-Bu-NCHING MACHINE.

SPEGIFIATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 693,265, dated February11, 1902.

Application iiled April 8,1901. Serial Ilm-54,881. (Nomodel.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER GORDON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Oigar-Bunching Machines,of which the following is a specification, reference being had 'thereinto the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to cigar-bunching machines; and it consists in thepeculiar construction of the parts, and especially in the constructionof a presser which bears upon the bunch during the rolling thereof.

The invention further consists in details of construction, ashereinafter described and claimed.

y In the drawings, Figurel is a longitudinal section through themachine, substantially Fig. 2.is a cross-section. Fig. 3 illustratessome of the parts shown in Fig. 1 on a largerscale, and Fig. 4 is acrosssection on line yy, Fig.' 3.

My improvements are shown as applied to cigar-bunching machines of thattype comprising a reciprocating bunching table, a bunching-roll, abunching-apron, and a tension device therefor,'which is positivelyactuated to govern the pressure on the bunch during the rolling. t

In detail, A designates the frame of the machine, which may be of'anysuitable construction.

B is a shaft extending longitudinally of the frame.

C represents cross-guides near the upper portion of the frame, in whichthe reci procating bunching-table D is slidingly secured, and E is abunching-roll journaled'inbearings in the frame just above the path ofthe table D.

The table D is provided at opposite sides with a rack member F, whichVmeshes with pinions G, secured .to a 1shaft-H parallel to the shaft B.The shaft I-I is actuated by a pinion I thereon, Whichfengageswith a segmental rack J, and the latter derives its movement from a cam-wheel K,sleeved upon and driven by the shaft B.

To the forward edge of the bunching-table D is secured one end of theapron L, which extends across said table and is secured at its oppositeend to a reel M, journaled in bearings in the frame above the plane ofthe table. This apron is of sufficient length to form a pocket a byftheslack thereof between the inner edge of thetable D and the bunching-rollE. The reel M is positively driven to pay out or-take up the apron asrequired, preferably bymeans of a pinion N upon the reel-shaft M', thepinion O, sleeved upon the shaft H, and the intermediate pinion P. 'Thepinion O derives its -movement from a segmental rack J., similar to therack J and also actuated by the cam-'wheel K. The engagement betweenthis cam-wheel K and the racks J and J f is preferably formed byproviding said wheel with cam-grooves upon its opposite faces, withwhich pins rin the racks J and J engage.

With the parts as thus far described the movement of the shaft B isimparted to the cam-Wheel K. The rotation of this wheel will cause thereciprocation of theseg mental 'racks J and J', which in turn actuatethe pinions I and O, the former rotating the shaft-H and pinions Gthereon and imparting a reciprocating movement to the racks F on thetable D and the latter, through the medium of the intermediategear-Wheel P, imparting a rotary movement to the pinion N and reel M.The shapeof the'cam-grooves in the wheel K is such as to impart adifferential movement to the segmental raclis J and J and the mechanismsoperated thereby. The relative movement is such that the punching-tableis first moved to carry its rear edge beneath the roll E to close thepocket in the apron L, the roll M being moved only to take up the slackVWithout contracting the size of the pocket. .In the further operationthe tableD is temporarily arrested while the reel M isrotated to takeVup the apron'and contract the pocket, thereby compressing the bunch.After the pocket has sufficiently contracted the table D resumes itsmovement and the reel Mfis' suitablyT moved to maintain the uniformtension upon the bunch during its rolling.

The rolling of the bunch by the mechanism before described Whileordinarily satisfactory has nevertheless certain defects which renderthe rolled bunch inferior in quality to that produced by handwork. Inyorder to improve the quality of the product, I have IOO provided mymachine with a yielding presser which bears upon the bunch during therolling operation in a similar manner to the pressure of the hand of aworkman in rolling a bunch on a table. This presser also serves tofformthe bunch, giving it the tapering ends which are desired.

As shown, the presser is formed by a coiled spring R, which extendsacross the frame just above the path of the table and in rear of thebunchingroll E. This spring is secured at its opposite ends to theframe, and one or bot-h ends may be adjustable to alter the tension ot'the spring. This adjustment I have shown as formed by attaching the endsof the spring to a threaded rod b, engaging a correspondiugly-threadedaperture in the frame, so that by turning said rod the tension of thespring is altered.

In operation when the pocket is closed and the loop containing the bunchmounts upon the table it will be forced up beneath the spring R, raisingthe latter, so that it will exert its tension to press downward upon thebunch during the subsequent rolling. This pressure weakens from the endstoward the center, and will thereby have. the result of compressing theends ofthe bunch to a greater degree and giving it the required taperingform. In order to prevent the possibility of the bunch forcing thespring R rearward in stead of upward, I connect to said spring at one ormore points a spring-guide S, which is pivoted at its rear end to a rodS and holds said spring from rearward movement while permitting of afree vertical movement.

Although I have described the presser as being' formed of a coil-spring,I do not desire to be limited to this precise form, as it is obviousthat other yielding pressers might be employed which would have the sameeffect upon the rolling of the bunch.

In order to provide means for adjusting the size of the bunch, Ipreferably form the reel M with a peripheral sleeve M2, which is securedto the center of the reel bya set-screw c. When it is desired toincrease or decrease the size of the bunch,the set-screw is loosened andthe sleeve M2 turned one way or the other to give the 'necessaryadjustment.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a cigar-bunehing machine, thecombination with a bunching-table, a bunchingroll and an apron, of adilfereutially-yielding presser adapted to bear against the bunchadjacent to said roll with a greater pressure at the ends than at thecenter thereof whereby a tapering shape is imparted to the bunch.

2. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination with the apron andcooperating means for forming a closed pocket therein and rolling thebunch, of a iiexible bar eX tending longitudinally of and in adjacenceto said pocket and contained bunch and laterally pressed thereagainst.

3. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination with apron andcooperating means for forming a closed pocket therein and rolling thebunch, of a laterally-spring-pressed flexible bar extendinglongitudinally of and bearing against said pocket and contained bunchduring the operation of rolling.

4. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination with a frame, areciprocating bunching-table, the roll and the apron adapted tocooperate to roll the bunch upon said table in a pocket in said apronand in adjacence to said roll, of a coil-spring extending across saidframe parallel to and in rear of said roll and above the plane of saidtable, whereby in the rolling" of the bunch said spring will exert ayielding pressure thereagainst.

5. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination with a reciprocatingbunching-table,

,the roll and the apron, of a coil-spring supported at its ends andextending across said frame parallel to and in rear of said roll andabove the plane of said table, and an intermediate connection to saidspring permitting of free vertical movement thereof but preventingrearward movement.

6. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination with the reciprocatingtable and the bunching-apron connected at one end to said table, of adriven reel to which the opposite end of said apron is attached, saidrcel being provided with an adjustment for altering the slack in saidapron, comprising an outer sleeve to which the apron is attached andmeans for adjustably locking said sleeve to the inner driven member.

In testimony whereof I ai'ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER GORDON.

.Vitnesses:

M. B. ODoennn'rv, Il. C. SMITH.

IOO

